Programmable Permeability of Metal-Phenolic Network Microcapsules

Developing materials with programmable permeability for cargo encapsulation and release is challenging but important in a number of fields including drug delivery and sensing. Metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) are an emerging class of hybrid coordination materials with pH responsiveness and modularity that can be engineered into functional thin films for diverse applications. Herein, we engineer MPN-based microcapsules with a dynamic gating mechanism by adjusting the intermolecular interactions in the capsules. Altering the choice of building blocks and the precursor ratio provides an intrinsic and modular means of tailoring capsule size and permeability. Alternatively, regulating the pH of the environment, and thereby the protonation states of MPNs, extrinsically enables capsules to switch between highly permeable (>90% of capsules permeable at pH 9) and near-impermeable (<20% at pH 3) states. These findings provide insights into the dynamic nature of MPNs and offer a route to engineer smart delivery systems and selective gating materials.